The Flipping 50 Show

Today’s episode is a refresher course or your introduction if you’re new to Flipping 50 and not quite sure you can make the connection between sex hormones and bone density. Share this with younger women to understand “more than seen and felt symptoms” of perimenopause. Many women aren’t aware of the options, pros and cons of hormone health. The more we know, the more we can make our own informed decisions. Bone density declines at menopause, and postmenopausal increases fracture risks. But do you know the importance of estrogen and testosterone in your bone health? Stay tuned to review the relationship between your sex hormones and bone density. My Guest: Dr. Doug Lucas is a double board-certified physician specializing in osteoporosis reversal and hormone replacement. After training at Stanford University, he transitioned from orthopedic surgery to anti-aging and regenerative medicine, gaining a fellowship in Anti-Aging and Metabolic Medicine and started Optimal Human Health MD (OHH) which is his nationwide telehealth practice. Dr. Doug educates the world through The Dr. Doug Show: Bones, Hormones and HealthSpan (YouTube), HealthSpan Nation and other platforms, while also mentoring physicians to prioritize patient-centered care. Questions We Answer in This Episode: What is the role of sex hormones in maintaining or improving bone density? [00:15:22] Can hormone replacement therapy (HRT) improve bone health? [00:18:32] What is the relationship between hormone decline and bone density? [00:14:17] What are the best strategies to maintain bone density with low hormone levels? [00:30:09] Connect with Dr. Doug: https://www.optimalhumanhealth.com/ On Social: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrDougLucas/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dr_DougLucas Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_douglucas/ Other Episodes You Might Like: Bone Health, Osteoporosis, Osteopenia Tips You’ve Never Heard: https://www.flippingfifty.com/bone-coach/ Build Bone After Osteoporosis: https://www.flippingfifty.com/build-bone-after-osteoporosis/ Can I Still Start Hormones 10 Years After Menopause? Doctors Respond: https://www.flippingfifty.com/start-hormones-10-years-after-menopause/ Resources: Flipping 50 Membership: https://www.flippingfifty.com/cafe Flipping 50 STRONGER 12-week program: https://www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger

If you deal with menopause brain fog, mild depression or anxiety any time of year, this is for you. It’s also for anyone who wants the latest science on exercise and brain health. The evidence around how movement affects mental well-being is growing, and I want to share some of the most impactful insights with you. Almost all types of exercise seem to show benefits on mental well-being. Activities like resistance training, yoga, other mind-body activities, aerobic exercise, and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can support brain health to some extent. In this episode I’ll share which exercise helps most, specifically on menopause brain fog, mood, or anxiety. No matter when you’re listening to this episode, it’s relevant for multiple reasons and seasons. But as I release it during the holiday season, it can have more impact. Whether you might be facing memories of loved ones you’ve lost, whether it was this year or in years past, or the traditions, memories, or emotions that come with the season that make this time of year bittersweet. While holidays can be magical and full of warmth, they can also feel heavy, bringing sadness, anxiety, or emotional struggles to the surface. For women with menopause brain fog and memory issues, the holidays can have an even greater impact. Beyond Menopause and Brain Fog Global prevalence of depression in perimenopausal women are at 33.9% and 34.9% in postmenopausal women. Why? This may be due to estrogen and progesterone fluctuations, sleep disturbances and greater susceptibility to negative effects of stress. Most adults with depression don’t receive adequate care - due to the stigma or the fact that they don’t respond well to antidepressants. And pharmaceuticals don’t address the physical comorbidities associated with depression. Exercise is well accepted as an alternative or complement due to accessibility, acceptability and safety. Even physical activity below public health recommendations can yield significant mental health benefits [and is a necessary place to start]. Menopause Brain Fog, It’s Not Just You A recent study published in the Biomedical Central Public Health Journal of over 200 randomized controlled trials show exercise interventions may have more potent antidepressant effects than SSRIs. A study examined which of 5 exercise interventions helped reduce depression levels most in postmenopausal women and if certain population characteristics responded differently. The Exercise Interventions: Stretching Exercise Aerobic Exercise Resistance Training Mind-Body Exercise Multi Exercise Mind-Body Exercise had the greatest effect on easing anxiety, followed by Aerobic Exercise. Exercise helps because it creates a controlled stress response, increasing resilience to anxiety. Years ago, I shared a study showing yoga boosts cognitive function more than muscle conditioning. A study published in Menopause: The Journal confirmed that mind-body exercises reduce fatigue, insomnia, depression, and anxiety. Why mindbody? Yoga increases melatonin levels, balances nervous system and improves brain-derived neurotrophic which improves cognition and memory. Best Exercise for Menopause Brain Fog The menopause brain fog experienced by many women may improve most with HIIT, being characterized by periods of “all out” exercise to breathlessness. A study in the Journal of Exercise Nutrition & Biochemistry in 2018 showed a Wingate protocol study on HIIT: Exercise Structure 30 seconds of all-out effort (fast-paced or against resistance) per interval 4 - 6 intervals per session, with 4 minutes of recovery between intervals Total Intense Exercise Time 2 - 3 minutes of intense exercise per session lasting a total of 20 minutes, including rest periods Training Frequency 3 sessions per week (totaling 15 minutes of high-intensity work per week) Results 2 Weeks - Improved skeletal muscle oxidative capacity 6 Weeks - Equivalent to traditional endurance training (40 - 60 minutes, 5 sessions per week) Additional Benefits for Midlife Women: Time - HIIT sessions take 1.5 hours a week, compared to other traditional endurance training 4.5 hours a week Cortisol - Short HIIT sessions avoid the cortisol spike (40 - 60 minutes is the tipping point where cortisol spikes negatively) Most women say they feel more energized, lighter, and more focused after HIIT compared to long endurance sessions. Studies on postmenopausal women with osteoporosis found that high-intensity, high-impact protocols led to positive responses, with low injury rates and high retention. Other Exercises for Menopause Brain Fog Resistance training also proves popular among women with anxiety, potentially due to the fact that the increase in heart rate and intensity is temporary, strength gains are made fairly quickly for a beginner and that carries over to increasing motivation, improved sleep. Walking outdoors with friends combines three sources of serotonin for women, particularly: movement, sunlight, and venting/talking. References: Han, B., Duan, Y., Zhang, P. et al. Effects of exercise on depression and anxiety in postmenopausal women: a pairwise and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. BMC Public Health 24, 1816 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-19348-2 Min Chul L, Sung Ki L, Suk Yool J, Hyung Hoon M. New insight of high-intensity interval training on physiological adaptation with brain functions. J Exerc Nutrition Biochem. 2018 Sep 30;22(3):1-5. doi: 10.20463/jenb.2018.0017. PMID: 30343552; PMCID: PMC6199482. Xu, Hong MM; Liu, Jian MD; Li, Peishan MD; Liang, Yujie MD. Effects of mind-body exercise on perimenopausal and postmenopausal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Menopause 31(5):p 457-467, May 2024. | DOI: 10.1097/GME.0000000000002336 Resources: BLISSMAS 12-Day Challenge: https://www.flippingfifty.com/blissmas Other Episodes You Might Like: Heal Your Gut, Save Your Brain: https://www.flippingfifty.com/save-your-brain/ Six Powerful Ways To Keep Your Perimenopause Brain Sharp: https://www.flippingfifty.com/perimenopause-brain/ Exercise Your Way to a Better Mood in Menopause: https://www.flippingfifty.com/better-mood-in-menopause/

Let’s have a quick flashback on fitness then and now, a look at fitness routines as you age. We're going to talk about how we exercised through the years with my guest Linda Malone who is 65. She’s been in the fitness industry as a personal training and fitness expert. She’s doing some marketing and helping fitness and health pros develop their copy. My Guest: Linda Melone is the founder of The Copy Worx, a copywriting business targeting health and fitness businesses. She’s a seasoned copywriter, former personal trainer, and a fitness specialist for women over 50. She once ran an online fitness program for women over 50. She also hosts a podcast, B2B Marketing & Copywriting. Her byline appears in top publications including MSN Health, Oxygen, TIME, Shape, Self, AARP, and the Huffington Post, among many others. She was also a ghostwriter for a high-profile television celebrity fitness expert. Questions We Answer in This Episode: How did you start your fitness journey, and how has it shaped your life? [00:05:58] How has your workout routine changed, and what inspired those shifts? [00:07:37] Reflecting back, what do you wish you’d known in your 30s when training women over 50? [00:19:04] What are the biggest physical changes and abilities you've noticed over the years? [00:18:01] What are your top 3-5 tips for women embracing midlife at 65? [00:22:45] What are the biggest myths about exercising as you age? [00:26:09] Connect with Linda: https://thecopyworx.com/ On Social: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LindaMeloneWrites/ Instagram: https://x.com/LindaMelone YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thecopyworx LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linda-melone/ Other Episodes You Might Like: Ageless Aging: Believe it or Not? https://www.flippingfifty.com/ageless-aging/ Truths and Myths: Lifting Heavy in Menopause for Bones & Body Comp: https://www.flippingfifty.com/lifting-heavy-in-menopause/ Exercise for Bone Density Then and Now: https://www.flippingfifty.com/exercise-for-bone-density/ Resources: Meditation: https://www.brain.fm/

In my 20s, I would go for a run within an hour of waking. But as the years went by, I would linger over coffee and my studies or work. Even though I still wanted to move in the morning, I realized the best quality creativity and focus were accessible to me in the first hours of the morning. It wasn’t the same later. Eventually, I realized that if I focus on studying or work on a project and delay my workout until later, I could get another boost of focus when I return, refreshed and showered from exercise. Even when I was training for Iron -distance triathlons, 3 to 4-hour long sessions of running, biking, or swimming could be tiring. I may have had some good ideas on the bike, but overly long sessions left both mind and body drained and exhausted. The science behind this has a lot to do with cortisol, which helps our brains handle stress and concentrate more effectively earlier in the day. Mental focus is best between 10am and 2pm, but this may vary based on whether you’re a morning or night person. For me, it’s the quiet of early morning.. typically between 5am and 9am.. that offers the best focus. But if you’re a night owl, you may find focus and get things done later. But only a few of us can focus really well late at night. P.S.  Waiting a little while before exercise has another benefit backed by science: it reduces the risk of back injuries. After an hour of moving around before getting to the gym (like getting dressed or driving) the pressure on spinal discs lessens, lowering the chance of herniation. You can check out the link of another episode below for Myths, Causes, and Solutions for Back Pain. My Morning Routine and Clear Thinking A fascinating article on sleep cycles, naps, shorter sleep spans and no naps might make you a believer in naps. Even me, as a fairly proclaimed non-napper, I find it difficult to wake up and re-engage in the day after a nap. But the science behind napping is compelling. There’s something about working too long. When we push through long work hours without breaks (a common Western habit), it disrupts the potassium-sodium balance and keeps us in a Beta brain wave state. Beta waves are for analyzing and alertness. When we sleep, we get Theta waves which are for creativity and higher mental functions. If you study meditation at all, you’ll hear about different waves. As we fall asleep, our brains move from Beta (awake and analyzing) to Alpha (calmer and quiet mind), then Theta (half-awake or half-asleep), and finally Delta (deep sleep). Research says, we cycle through these stages in 90-minute intervals during sleep and even during the day, our brains naturally focus best in 90-minute bursts. So, if your mind starts wandering after about 90 minutes, it’s normal. We do better with a 20-minute break for productivity and creativity than powering through. The quality of the work is better. I discovered this myself by pure accident, and then began to lean into it more as I learned more about the brain. What is hard for me is to honor the habit of meditation first thing because when I wake, I tend to want to start my usual habits. It’s true for most of us. And if you have a dog, your habits change real fast! If you are finding you aren’t as productive or energetic as you like, and you’re ready to try a new routine, here are some suggestions so you can find a morning routine that works for you. 4 Steps to Create Your Own Personal Instead of Adopting My Morning Routine! Learn your personal patterns: keep a track of your energy during different parts of the day, and you’ll eventually see which are the best moments for you to work and rest. We all have this Basic Reset-Activity cycle, but you can learn more about your own personal best routine, even within the confines of work, kids or dogs! Now, this is not going to work best until  you’ve begun optimizing habits like high protein/low carb breakfasts; avoiding coffee-only till noon rituals, avoid skipping meals. You’re not using wine to wind down every night. None of this is going to help you as directly with day time energy if you’re sabotaging yourself. Maximize your peak cycles: plan your day in order to take advantage of the moments where you have the most energy. I share this with health coaches and trainers in our Flipping 50 Menopause Fitness Specialist program and with our team members too. Though there are things that have to be done on a 12 and 24-hour period within our business, we allow flexibility in our team members to do them. Where we have issues is if there are too many errors, oversights, and it becomes obvious someone isn’t firing on all cylinders, assuming they are the right person for the job. Take a break: When you’re in a down cycle, it’s better to rest than power through. Rest is not optional. My personal mental breaks from work are physical movement. After 3 or 4 hours of morning focus, I’ll break to workout. In the afternoon, between sessions, I’ll get Moses outside and play fetch with him or do one of what I’ve coined our 10-minute Longevity snacks. The dynamic balance and agility moves actually require thought, but of an entirely different kind, and definitely away from a screen. Get enough sleep: Sleep deprivation results in a prolonged cycle, lowering your productivity. My Morning Routine Can be Different to Yours For me, sleep has always been non-negotiable. Even in high school, I didn’t “sleep in” well. Slumber parties wrecked me for the next couple days. And I was in bed by 10:00pm most high school nights. I just preferred it. Now, all of us were teens with different sleep habits at one point, but even in high school and college, I was up irritatingly early for my dorm roommates at least. Women in Midlife are more susceptible to negative effects of stress. That’s going to impact our brain as well as our physical body. Doing either of these types of stressful work early in the day will reap better rewards. For women in midlife, working with cortisol levels in this way is also beneficial. You can avoid the conversion of other hormones necessary for sleep and rest to cortisol to supply the energy in late-day intense exercise. It seems to go well for women during, but the quality and quantity of sleep is negatively affected. By studying scientific processes and anecdotally having thousands of clients flip their intense workouts to am, we’ve seen improvements in their energy, fitness, and fatness. References: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/npr2.12042 https://fmidr.com/the-power-of-the-sleep-cycle/ https://hive.com/blog/90-minute-time-blocking/ Other Episodes You Might Like: Morning Routines, Training to Fatigue, and Defining “Fueled”: https://www.flippingfifty.com/morning-routines/ Successful Habit Change for Health, Fitness, & Wellness After 50: https://www.flippingfifty.com/successful-habit-change/ Myths, Causes, and Solutions for Back Pain with Dr. Stuart McGill: https://www.flippingfifty.com/myths-causes-solutions-back-pain/ Resources: BLISSMAS 12-Day Challenge: https://www.flippingfifty.com/blissmas Flipping 50 Membership: https://www.flippingfifty.com/cafe

What you don’t know about GPL-1 drugs may hurt you, or your opportunity to improve your health. Misconceptions could limit your ability to make an informed decision about whether they’re right for you. Whether you’re someone considering these medications for your own health or a fitness professional trying to better understand how they fit into the broader health landscape, this episode will offer valuable insights on what you don’t know about GPL-1. We’re not having a persuasive argument here. Instead, we want to provide a balanced and nuanced discussion, offering you the information needed to make a well-rounded decision. We are opening up the conversation again with a physician who's been using GLP-1 for a long time. She’s sharing what she’s seen and experienced and if you’re a health and fitness professional, stay tuned as we have something special for you too. My Guest: Dr. Tami Meraglia MD is a leader in Functional Medicine specializing in Hormones, Weight Loss and non-surgical facial rejuvenation. She is the best selling author of The Hormone Secret, published by Simon and Schuster, has appeared on Good Morning America, Fox, ABC, NBC and many podcasts and summits as a health expert. She lectures nationally and internationally and is the Medical Director of BioThrive Life that offers personalized medical programs in person in Seattle and virtually across the USA. Questions We Answer in This Episode: What are the risks and benefits of these medications? [00:11:01] (Benefits), [00:33:10] (Risk) If you use them do you need to take them for life? [00:11:19] If you use them does the weight loss involve muscle loss? [00:40:48] Future of GLP1 medications [00:28:23] Connect with Dr. Tami: https://www.biothrivelife.com/ On Social: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/askdrtami/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/askdrtami/ Other Episodes You Might Like: How to Spot Menopause Misinformation: A Doctor Talks: https://www.flippingfifty.com/menopause-misinformation/ Your Glucose Levels in Menopause with the Glucose Goddess: https://www.flippingfifty.com/glucose-levels-in-menopause/

Our stance: Flipping 50 believes each woman is unique. That said, we favor fed exercise over fasted exercise when it is intense. That is, high intensity interval training, or strength training with the intent of preserving lean muscle mass and avoiding frailty or fragility occur within the eating window and ideally bookended by protein consumption if for muscle or bone mass. We do acknowledge that exercise may “feel hard” when exercise is performed fasted giving the perception of “working hard.” However, we suggest based on research and 4 decades of primary observation, women actually exercise harder related to their capacity for exercise when fueled. That is, they will go faster if being timed, go further within a timed test, lift more weight or perform more reps to muscular fatigue. Fasted Exercise Pros and Cons During Perimenopause A 27% muscle loss has been reported between early and late stage perimenopause. This is most likely due to multifactors: insomnia disrupting anabolic hormones and together with other signs and symptoms of menopause interfering with desire to workout, as well as a drop in estrogen, testosterone and growth hormone levels, and an increase in cortisol levels. This is an important consideration when looking at fat loss vs lean muscle gain and priorities. Mitigating potential loss of muscle is a critical factor in aging well and overall metabolic health. What Science Says Some studies (review of literature) suggest that before prolonged exercise, fueling provides more benefit but before short exercise, results are inconclusive. A 2013 study on sumo wrestlers eating a ultra high calorie, 50% fat diet burned more fat after exercise done fasted. However, we’ve got to consider…. How like you are that? Extremely high calorie and 50% fat? In almost the same time frame, college women were fed vs fasted in exercise and showed no difference. Their diets probably reflected at least a little closer to yours and their hormone profiles also at least slightly more like you. The problem is, few studies about fasting and exercise exist on midlife or postmenopausal women. Women who are at risk for accelerated muscle and strength losses. In studies for the last 10 years, fasted vs fed with the same hypocaloric diet there was no difference in increased fat loss due to fasted vs fed. I hear comments from women who believe they are burning fat for fuel when they’ve fat-adapted, however, without measuring this, we don’t know it to be true. The crossover is only visible when you’re measuring in a lab. It would mean that at the same speed and intensity previously (watts) you were burning fat vs carbs for fuel. We can see that in clinical lab testing during progressive exercise testing using stages. Your cardiovascular fitness level may also improve meaning for the same speed your heart rate isn’t as elevated. That’s another way to hypothesize you’re burning more fat for fuel at higher levels. I want to remind you that at a certain point we all cross over. If you’re “working hard” in high intensity interval training you are NOT burning fat during. You’re burning a lower percent of fat for fuel during. Because you’re burning calories - that is your energy expenditure is higher - you are still burning more fat. Your goal is not to burn a high percent of fat for fuel during.. Or you’re doing that best at rest. The data is not there to support higher fat burning during HIIT fasted. It’s not there to support higher fat burning after HIIT if fasted. What seems most important is a hypocaloric diet, performing optimal exercise intensity for energy expenditure. And resistance training improves post workout FFA circulation most compared to HIIT. To support anabolic response to strength training, especially for women when more prone to anabolic resistance, fed exercise makes the most sense. Fasted Exercise Pros and Cons with Obese Women For women who can’t seem to lose fat weight, and are in good adrenal health, after employing a foundation of high protein, 3 meals no snacks, fasting at least 12 hours overnight, extending the fast and testing can help shake a plateau. The approach needs to be unique to individual needs and goals to lose fat weight and gain lean muscle mass. It may need to be addressed step by step to first improve metabolic health (blood lipids, blood pressure, insulin, glucose), with close observations on skeletal muscle to determine success. For other women though, recomposition is best addressed by focus on gaining lean muscle mass and not slowing progress. We do know strength can be gained during fasting, at least in the beginning. Muscle mass doesn’t improve during fasted exercise. Again, important to remember, the research featuring women in menopause and post, with anabolic resistance is minimal. Anabolic resistance is the resistance to gaining lean muscle mass. Basically, the older we get the more you have to work for it. So, if you focus on losing fat, you may also lose lean muscle if you’re doing it by fasting. Like many things including exercise, the solution may be cycling fasting duration with alternating periods of time (weeks/months) with primary focus on muscle gains vs fat loss. But the one constant should be monitoring your personal results. Is your lean muscle mass going up or down? Is your body fat going up or down? Is your gut health/digestion/elimination improving? To Unpack Your Personal Fasted Exercise Pros and Cons, Prioritize Prioritize goals: Longevity (autophagy) Avoidance of frailty, fragility Improvement of balance and stability Increase in bone density Gut health Emotional eating/relationship with food Consuming inadequate fuel can make women store more fat. It may depend on whether you are in perimenopause vs postmenopause. According to Stacy Sims, it’s the hypothalamus related to the kisspeptin hormone. Thyroid hormone gets down-regulated within a short period of a few days. You feel like you’re exercising “hard.” But you’re not necessarily exercising to your capacity. You’re simply struggling. It’s not the same as a quality intensity workout. If you’re more athletic, you want to do more endurance or more peak performance, the more you have low calories while taxing your system. Increasing protein without changing anything, even without exercise,  body fat loss will be facilitated within 3 months. For women who struggle with dieting or a history restrictive eating or binge-purging, using a time restricted eating window can be complicated by the desire to also restrict calories. The low fuel intake means low micronutrient intake. Frequent testing would be extremely beneficial for women who also ideally will monitor their skeletal muscle mass, body fat percent and blood glucose levels on a daily/weekly basis. For extremely active women, fasted exercise reflects poorer performance: Slower walking pace Lower endurance Longer recovery periods Less muscle mass gains Less fat loss (compared to fed exercise at higher intensity) Resources: Smart Scales: https://www.amazon.com/shop/flipping50/list/GFTU3QXMJ07G?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsflist_aipsfflipping50_7CD0CBB5VP0Q08ZGZ7JF Dr. Mindy Pelz: https://www.youtube.com/@DrMindyPelz 5 Day Flip: https://www.flippingfifty.com/5-day-challenge-new/ References: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29315892/#:~:text=Fasted exercise increased post-exercise,mitochondrial adaptation and substrate utilization. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0301369 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4242477/ Other Episodes You Might Like: How to Pair Intermittent Fasting and Exercise After 40: https://www.flippingfifty.com/intermittent-fasting-and-exercise/ How Emotional Eating Can Be the Hidden Reason for Weight Gain: https://www.flippingfifty.com/reason-for-weight-gain/ End Diets, Food Rules, and Emotional Eating: https://www.flippingfifty.com/freedom/

Intermittent fasting can be very sexy. But does it help or sabotage emotional eating? Some emotional eating experts we’ve hosted have strong feelings about intermittent fasting and those who have emotional eating anchoring their relationship with food have a strong aversion to it. In this episode we tap into, if intermittent fasting, how, and how not to potentially. My Guest: Laurie Lewis, Wellness Coach, shares how to maintain exceptional self-care while dealing with life's complicated and fast-paced circumstances. By using Intermittent Fasting, Laurie encourages the chance to break free from diet models, connect with the body’s inner intelligence and experience improvements in every aspect of life. With an eating window every day for seven years, now at 61 years old, Laurie’s biological age (at the cellular level) of 40 years old. From her menopausal struggles to vibrant health serves as an inspiration, embodying the potential for profound change through Intermittent Fasting. Questions We Answer in This Episode: What is your history of emotional eating? 00:04:50 What’s your definition of intermittent fasting? Do you think there are optimal windows? 00:10:30 How could having an (optimized) Eating Window improve every aspect of your life? 00:09:30 What are the challenges for women with disordered eating and emotional eating trying to use Intermittent Fasting? 00:21:30 Why do you think the focus on menopause and hormone replacement overlooks emotional eating, emphasizing physical fixes instead? 00:18:50 What is the root cause of most women’s challenges with their weight loss and health? 00:15:50 Do you find that many women treat Intermittent Fasting more like a diet, leading to a dramatic decrease in caloric intake and a lack of nutrient-dense foods and adequate protein? 00:27:40 What are your top 3 tips on how to start Intermittent Fasting TODAY? How does a woman know that she should or shouldn’t? 00:20:10 Connect with Laurie: https://FastForwardWellness.com On Social: Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/FastForwardWellness/ Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/fast_forward_wellness/ Other Episodes You Might Like: How Emotional Eating Can Be the Hidden Reason for Weight Gain:https://www.flippingfifty.com/reason-for-weight-gain/ Midlife Changes with Intermittent Fasting Expert Gin Stephens:https://www.flippingfifty.com/midlife-changes/ Low Energy Availability in Menopause? Eating Too Little to Feel Good or Age Well:https://www.flippingfifty.com/low-energy-availability-in-menopause/ Resources: Hot Not Bothered Challenge:https://www.flippingfifty.com/hot-not-bothered-challenge-2023/ STRONGER 12-week program:https://www.flippingfifty.com/get-stronger/

My post menopause workout has been working. Let me say that first. I’m lean, as lean as I comfortably want to be, and my muscle remains high, I’m not losing it. If anything, I’ve gained more in the last 2 years as I bumped intensity and recovery in my routine. By that, I mean more volume in my workouts but also more recovery time between sessions. It’s about being smart with rest as much as it is with pushing through the actual workouts. Recovery time between strength sessions by the way isn’t just a lazy couch potato time. It's an active recovery. I’m doing sprint intervals, agility drills, mobility work, and lots of walking or hiking. These kinds of activities help me stay conditioned, keep my metabolism going, and ensure that my body remains strong. But in doing it, I’ve also had the opportunity to see my readiness score soar. Meaning, I’m ready for a high quality workout. I'm primed for high-quality sessions. That readiness translates into better results over time. Some accidental discoveries have made me question if I was assuming what worked for me was the BEST for me. So here I am, using the last 90 days of 2024 to testing and experimenting and sharing it all with you. Questions We Answer In this Episode: How it started. [12:25] What I’m trying. [13:35] Why I’m personally testing. [21:15] What are the results - any difference in muscle, fat, mindset, sleep etc. [22:35] I’ll update you on my progress via social media - most often in short stories on Instagram. For a longer video, I’ll summarize it on the podcast. So if you prefer audio you have it and if you want to see a little more demonstration of exercises to help illustrate the video, you’ll have it in the YouTube video which will be short. And we’ll do a cheat sheet for you. My Post Menopause Workout: Total Body Walking or 10 minutes of brief interval walk/run Walking lunges, lunge matrix, spyders, light core engagement 3 sets each wall sit and single leg Squat 5 sets of leg press in a monster/drop set 5 super sets of chest, 5 sets bent over row with a dynamic balance exercise 5 sets of triceps 3 sets of biceps 4 sets of lat pull downs 5 sets of ham curls 3 sets of limited ROM leg extensions Total of 38 sets Notes: You may bump from 5 to 6 sets or from 3 or 4 to 5 reaching 40 and changing it up. Some days, I might do less lower body and focus more on upper body work, but it’s always a total body workout. Never do squats without doing a hamstring-specific exercise. Most people, both men and women, tend to be quad-dominant, and only doing squats can make this imbalance worse. Fire up that rear kinetic chain - —this means incorporating movements like hip thrusts, deadlifts (within your safe range of motion), or ham curls to really target the hamstrings and glutes. Switching to only UPPER or LOWER during workouts is really hard. First, it ties me to the gym. which I’m not a huge fan of. I love my flexible schedule and need it. So for the first two weeks here’s how I did the FLIP. In baby steps. I took a gradual approach, starting with one total body workout, similar to the plan I’ve outlined. After that, I introduced one upper body-only workout and one lower body-only workout each week. This change bumped up my total workout time by about 1.5 hours per week, which allowed me to add more sets and volume to each session. Each of the upper and lower body workouts required additional time because to ensure I was doing enough sets for each muscle group, I had to expand the time spent on both. So here’s what each day looked like. My Post Menopause Workout: Split Routine Leg Day looked like this: (not including warm up because that stayed relatively the same) 6 sets Leg press monster 5 sets hamstring curls 5 sets limited ROM leg extension 5 sets Side lunges 5 sets single leg squats 3 sets of seated calf raises 5 sets hip thrusts Total of 34 sets Upper Body Day looked like this: 2 sets of Chest Fly and push up 5 sets Chest Press superset with 5 sets Bent Over row 5 sets Lat pulldown with 5 sets biceps curls 5 sets of triceps supersets (a super set) 4 sets shoulder exercises (a super set) 3 sets Cable row alternate with 3 sets 1 minute hang Total of 37 sets During Month Two, I will switch things up considerably. Instead of one total body day and a mix of upper and lower, I’ll be doing two leg days and two upper body days each week. I can tell you right now that this will be hard. This shift is going to be tough, and I already know it. The challenge won’t just be physical—it’s also about finding the time and energy. I have a busy schedule, so the commitment to consistently hit these sessions will be a challenge. Balancing workouts with work and personal life is tricky. Being tied to having to go to the gym or even just getting a workout at home is hard. Since I work at home, I try to get out unless I’m shooting videos or tight on time. The other challenge is timing. My days start early and sometimes can stretch into the evening, go late and I don’t do high intensity work late in the day. But, if you’re someone who prefers evening workouts or if that’s the only time you have, go for it! Make your schedule work for you. The only thing to keep in mind is that evening workouts can shoot your adrenaline up, which might make falling asleep a little bit harder. Resources: Discovery Call: https://www.flippingfifty.com/wellness-coaching-for-life/ Ultimate Assessment: https://www.flippingfifty.com/store/coaching-programs/private-coaching-90-min/ Other Episodes You Might Like:. 5 Menopause Workout Tips from Recent Exercise Studies: https://www.flippingfifty.com/menopause-workout-tips/ Your Perimenopause Workout vs Your Post Menopause Workout: https://www.flippingfifty.com/post-menopause-workout/ What They Don’t Teach Women About Strength Training and should: https://www.flippingfifty.com/teach-women-about-strength-training/

If you or someone in your family deals with Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s or you’re simply in midlife dealing with changing hormones, this episode and the book we’re discussing, Heal your gut, save your brain, will be one you don’t want to miss. My Guest: Dr. Partha Nandi, M.D., F.A.C.P is the creator and host of the internationally syndicated medical lifestyle television show, Ask Dr. Nandi. He is the Chief Health Editor at WXYZ ABC Detroit, a practicing physician, renowned international speaker, appearing at TEDx, medical conferences like Digestive Disease Week and keynotes for organizations such as Medtronic, Phathom Pharmaceuticals, and Eli Lilly. Dr. Nandi partners with global health organizations, including the Ministry of Health in Jamaica and India and WHO. He give inspiring talks to international conferences and symposia, meeting global health leaders. His mission, “To Be Your Own Health Hero,” incourages individuals to take control of their health. His latest book, “Heal Your Gut, Save Your Brain”, explores the connection between gut and brain health. Questions We Answer in This Episode: What inspired you to write "Heal Your Gut, Save Your Brain"- [00:05:25] Explain the gut-brain axis and why it is so critical for overall health?- [00:09:26] How did your father’s stroke influence your research?- [00:06:38] What are the most surprising connections between the gut and brain? - [00:10:15] How does the gut influence conditions like depression and anxiety? - [00:12:41] What are some practical steps to improve gut and brain health? - [00:18:43] How do lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, and stress management play a role in maintaining a healthy gut-brain connection? - [00:22:10] Can you talk about your Five Pillars for Optimal Health? - [00:19:16] Can you share real-life gut health success stories? - [00:34:08] What are the key takeaways of your book, “Heal Your Gut, Save Your Brain”? - [00:42:01] Connect with Dr. Nandi: https://www.AskDrNandi.com On Social: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AskDrNandi/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/askdrnandi/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@askdrnandi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/askdrnandi/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/askdrnandi Other Episodes You Might Like: Your Brain Better | A No Negative Side-Effects Method: https://www.flippingfifty.com/your-better-brain/ Get and Keep Your Brain Fit, Healthy, and Strong: https://www.flippingfifty.com/leaky-brain/ Lose Weight, Gain Energy and Eliminate Pain with a Gut Cleanse: Dr Vincent M. Pedre: https://www.flippingfifty.com/lose-weight-gain-energy-and-eliminate-pain-with-a-gut-cleanse-dr-vincent-m-pedre/ Events or Affiliate partnership we're promoting in this episode: Resources: https://www.healyourgutsaveyourbrain.com/

Here are three strength training workouts designed specifically for women in menopause. These focus on maintaining muscle mass, boosting bone density, and supporting hormone balance. Each workout should be done 2–3 times a week, allowing at least one rest day between sessions. Workout 1: Full Body Strength (45 min) Warm-up (5-7 minutes): March in place or light walking Arm circles, leg swings, and hip openers Main workout: Squats (with or without weights) – 3 sets of 10-12 reps Push-ups (on knees or toes) – 3 sets of 8-10 reps Bent-over rows (with dumbbells or a resistance band) – 3 sets of 10-12 reps Step-ups (use a sturdy chair or bench, alternate legs) – 3 sets of 10 reps per leg Plank hold – 3 sets of 20-30 seconds Bicep curls (dumbbells or resistance bands) – 3 sets of 10-12 reps Deadlifts (with dumbbells, focus on glutes and hamstrings) – 3 sets of 10-12 reps Cool down: (5 minutes of stretching) Focus on hamstrings, quads, chest, and back. Workout 2: Upper Body Strength (40 min) Warm-up (5-7 minutes): Light arm swings, shoulder shrugs, and walking lunges Main workout: Dumbbell chest press – 3 sets of 8-10 reps Lat pull-down (or assisted pull-ups if available) – 3 sets of 8-10 reps Dumbbell shoulder press – 3 sets of 8-10 reps Tricep dips (use a bench or sturdy surface) – 3 sets of 10 reps Hammer curls – 3 sets of 10-12 reps Renegade rows (dumbbells in a plank position) – 3 sets of 8-10 reps per side Lateral raises – 3 sets of 10-12 reps Cool down: (5 minutes of stretching) Stretch shoulders, chest, and arms. No Lower body Workout 3: Lower Body & Core Focus (45 min) Warm-up (5-7 minutes): Light squats, hip circles, and side lunges Main workout: Glute bridges – 3 sets of 12-15 reps Lunges (stationary or walking) – 3 sets of 8-10 reps per leg Leg press (if at the gym) or goblet squats (at home) – 3 sets of 10-12 reps Side leg raises (with or without ankle weights) – 3 sets of 12 reps per side Plank with leg lift – 3 sets of 10-12 reps per leg Russian twists – 3 sets of 20 twists Bird-dog – 3 sets of 10-12 reps per side Cool down: (5 minutes of stretching) Focus on hamstrings, glutes, and core stretches. Notes from Chat Gpt for 3 Menopause Strength Workouts “These workouts are designed to help women in menopause maintain lean muscle, improve bone health, and boost metabolism. Encourage the women to lift heavier weights as they feel stronger while maintaining proper form. Always leave room for rest and recovery to support hormone balance.” For menopause metabolism, a total body workout is generally better. Here's why: Boosts overall metabolism: Total body workouts engage multiple large muscle groups, which means more calorie burn both during and after the workout. This is great for combating the slower metabolism that often accompanies menopause. Time-efficient: A total body routine lets you hit all the major muscle groups in one session, perfect for those with busy schedules. Hormonal balance: Engaging the whole body in one session can help with better regulation of hormones like cortisol and insulin, which are crucial during menopause. More frequent stimulus: With total body workouts, you're stimulating your muscles more frequently, which helps preserve muscle mass key for maintaining a healthy metabolism. Split routines can be effective too, but total body sessions may offer more metabolic bang for your buck during menopause. Resources: 5 Day Flip: https://www.flippingfifty.com/5-day-challenge-new/ Discovery Call: https://www.flippingfifty.com/wellness-coaching-for-life/ Ultimate Assessment: https://www.flippingfifty.com/store/coaching-programs/private-coaching-90-min/ Other Episodes You Might Like:. Fit or Fat? Training and Measuring Fitness in Menopause: https://www.flippingfifty.com/measuring-fitness-in-menopause/ Too Much or Not Enough Variety in Exercise in Menopause: https://www.flippingfifty.com/variety-in-exercise-in-menopause/ 5 Exercise Changes in Menopause to Overcome a Plateau: https://www.flippingfifty.com/5-exercise-changes-in-menopause-to-overcome-a-plateau/